206 Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds


heard of for many years. In the Sounds district, its last stronghold,

it has been reduced to a mere remnant owing to the agency of

the introduced carnivorous mammals. The only hope now lies in

Resolution Island, where once this bird was common. This island

is a sanctuary, but there is no caretaker, and it is not known

whether there are weasels or rats on it. I was hoping to visit this

island but was unable to afford the necessary time. It seems that

no one has been there for many years so that nothing whatever

is known about the bird population. Many years ago there was a

caretaker there who was commissioned by the Government to

capture a limited number of the parrots for the other island

sanctuaries. Four birds were liberated on the Little Barrier

Island but have not been heard of since. There is little doubt

that instead of being liberated in the damp rain forest near the

summit, they were set at liberty in the dry manuka forest near

the coast where they would speedily die out.


Four more were transferred to Kapiti Island where they do

not seem to have increased. Two of these have been seen within

recent years, one a very old one and practically blind but which

Mr. Wilkinson told me was very fat and in excellent condition.

Otherwise there is no trace of them having increased.


In the South Island very few have been seen within recent

years. I have questioned many people but they all tell the same tale,

that where the Kakapo was once common it is hardly ever seen.


This strange bird is larger in bulk than most other parrots,

equalling in size a large Macaw, though with having a com¬

paratively short tail it does not equal them in length. It is of a

beautiful light moss green, each feather being mottled wdth black

and yellow. There are facial discs like those of an owl. The feet

are large and heavy, eminently suitable for the terrestrial existence

which it leads. The whole of its habits are the absolute

antithesis of those of the ordinary run of parrots. It is nocturnal

and feeds mainly upon mosses, buds, leaves, and berries of the

forest shrubs. During the day, it hides in the hollow roots of

Some forest tree or in a cavity of a fallen log. After dusk has

fallen it sets out in search of its food.



